Name: Retro Film Review: Blood and Wine (1996)
Item: Blood and Wine
Rating: 40
Author: @drax

(source:tmdb.org)

There are films that defy conventional wisdom by having an excellent cast, intriguing story, exotic setting and renowned director and still producing unsatisfactory results. Blood and Wine, 1996 neo-noir thriller directed by Bob Rafelson, is one of such films.

Its protagonist is Alex Gates (played by Jack Nicholson), Florida wine merchant whose business and marriage are falling apart. The main reason is Alex's infidelity together with the habit of buying expensive gifts to his mistresses. The last among those mistresses is Gabrielle (played by Jennifer Lopez) who works as a nanny in the home of Alex's wealthy client. She has access to rich man's jewels and for Alex that represents a way to reverse his fortunes. He plans a robbery and recruits services of Victor Spansky (played by Michael Caine), terminally ill professional burglar who wants to spend last days of his life in luxury. The plan works perfectly until Alex's alcoholic wife Suzanne (played by Judy Davis) and son Jason (played by Stephen Dorff) get involved and wreck the whole scheme with murderous consequences.

Bob Rafelson, just like in his immensely overrated remake of The Postman Always Rings Twice, shows that he can't handle noir themes as easily as the real masters of the genre. All the plot ingredients for good noir thriller - ordinary people being involved in criminal schemes, femme fatale, backstabbing among confederates - are here, but the films nevertheless looks unengaging for the audience. This is not due to the cast, because, for the most parts, the actors are quite good in their roles, although only Michael Caine stands out with powerful portrayal of Victor, character both pathetic and frightening. The main problem for Blood and Wine is in underwritten characters, especially in the case of Jason, who is portrayed simply as a pretty boy who just happens to hate his father. Rafelson's direction is pedestrian, making dislikable characters not very interesting to the audience and it takes some very graphic and disturbing violence (for 1990s Hollywood standards) for this film to leave long lasting impression to the viewers. Blood and Wine is watchable but disappointing genre movie which again shows that some directors don't get better with age.

RATING: 4/10 (+)

(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.films.reviews on February 19th 2004)